Hispanic theater can be divided into Chicano theatre, Cuban-American theatre, and Nuyorican (mainly Puerto Rican) theatre. Hispanic theatre originated many years ago, back when Spanish conquerors were exploring the America’s looking for gold and to spread religion. The earliest plays were in fact Christian plays such as the Magi play, El coloquio de San Jose, and La Pastorela. However, as times changed in the United States, the emphasis on religion changed to that of a more political stance. After Luis Valdez teamed up with Cesar Chavez in organizing the strike in Delano, California, and created El Teatro Campesino, Hispanic theatre began working towards different themes. These themes included family conflicts, different issues inside Chicano theatre, the treatment of Mexican Americans in the army, stereotypes, and racial violence. Cubano theatre also focused on political aspects after the beginning of the twentieth-century, all the while taking in the mixed language of English and Spanish known as “Spanglish.” Political issues covered in Cuban theatre included the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro and feelings towards his leadership in Cuba, as well as the community felt nostalgia for the culture left in Cuba for refugees. Nuyorican or Puerto Rican theatre originated alongside the Civil Rights Movement and the migrant worker’s strike originated by Cesar Chavez. After Luis Valdez created El Teatro Campesino, Nuyorican theatre came to life. It focused on aspects of it’s own, such as the rich culture of its mainland; but it also focused on political issues like Cuban and Chicano theatre. For example, Nuyorican plays focused on problems with control, societal oppression, and even the advancement of socialist views. Plays also shed light on the Puerto Rican struggle for independence, problems Puerto Rican workers faced, immigrant life in the United States, the identity crisis Puerto Ricans face, and the famous “New York Experience.”
Hispanic theater can be divided into Chicano theatre, Cuban-American theatre, and Nuyorican (mainly Puerto Rican) theatre. Hispanic theatre originated many years ago, back when Spanish conquerors were exploring the America’s looking for gold and to spread religion. The earliest plays were in fact Christian plays such as the Magi play, El coloquio de San Jose, and La Pastorela. However, as times changed in the United States, the emphasis on religion changed to that of a more political stance. After Luis Valdez teamed up with Cesar Chavez in organizing the strike in Delano, California, and created El Teatro Campesino, Hispanic theatre began working towards different themes. These themes included family conflicts, different issues inside Chicano theatre, the treatment of Mexican Americans in the army, stereotypes, and racial violence.
Cubano theatre also focused on political aspects after the beginning of the twentieth-century, all the while taking in the mixed language of English and Spanish known as “Spanglish.” Political issues covered in Cuban theatre included the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro and feelings towards his leadership in Cuba, as well as the community felt nostalgia for the culture left in Cuba for refugees.
Nuyorican or Puerto Rican theatre originated alongside the Civil Rights Movement and the migrant worker’s strike originated by Cesar Chavez. After Luis Valdez created El Teatro Campesino, Nuyorican theatre came to life. It focused on aspects of it’s own, such as the rich culture of its mainland; but it also focused on political issues like Cuban and Chicano theatre. For example, Nuyorican plays focused on problems with control, societal oppression, and even the advancement of socialist views. Plays also shed light on the Puerto Rican struggle for independence, problems Puerto Rican workers faced, immigrant life in the United States, the identity crisis Puerto Ricans face, and the famous “New York Experience.”